As Is
by kuraokamiko
Summary: Youji contemplates his thoughts on a slow day. I'm horrible at summaries, lemme alone. Shows signs of shounen ai so know you were warned.


Title: As Is  
Authur & Email: DC James/Kura Okamiko: (x . dcjames . x gmail . com) (remove the spaces)  
Archived: DC James' Hideout (kuraokamiko . wishing-blue . net) (remove the spaces)   
Fandom: Weiß Kreuz  
Part: 1/1  
Type: One-shot drama piece  
Warnings: Songfic, shounen ai, sap, waff, POV  
Summary: Youji contemplates on his co-workers on a slow day.  
Pairings: None

Written On: 23 April 2001  
Edited On: 11 September 2006  
C&C is welcomed privately.

**oOOo**  
As Is  
**oOOo**

All rights and privileges to Weiß Kreuz belong to Project Weiss, Sakura Anime, and associated parties. The characters of this series are used without permission for the purpose of entertainment only. This work of fiction is not meant for sale or profit.

The song, 'As Is', is copyrighted to Ani DiFranco and her band and others who helped in the production and creation of the song. Also used without permission for the purpose of entertainment with the story.

**oOOo**  
Text:

_:words:_ Thoughts  
**(words)** Actions within Speech  
_words_ Exaggerated Words  
**oOOo**

I've never given it much thought of trying to figure out something beyond a mission, or related to a mission, unless it's for fun. Besides, it's a dreary enough occupation, why dwell on it so much when there are finer pursuits gawking and gushing over you. Oh, don't get me wrong, I do have some form of limits on myself, not that they show as much to those who don't know me very well. Well... isn't that a laugh? Pretty much a question that doesn't need or have an answer.

Limits or not, fine and lovely things should be praised in the here and now of their prime, because good things never last. A flower, a young girl, life... everyone has something, no matter how small it is. Which has me thinking of my fellow assassins at the moment. After all, it's a slow day thanks to the steady rainfall and the fact that it's still school hours. A perfect time to just sit at the cash register, mullying over my sudden and somewhat ridiculous thoughts, smoking a cig.

Ken looks bored to tears--but if I said that to him, I'd probably get a taste of his well-known temper. Today he seemed to look forward to a little practice with the kids, but with this kind of rainfall, I doubt today it will happen. Hey, if he get's a cold, it's his own fault and I'm not going to do anything about it. Shy, good-guy Ken. He isn't the kind of shy that either makes you think it's a show or make him look like a tomato all day. Just the right kind that makes him an easy victim to casual teasing and flirting from among us--well, me--and the school girls.

He's too expressive, causing one to ever wonder how he could be suspected of being an assassin. Not as badly as Omi, but just enough. They don't deserve those kinds of comments though, they both proved to be worthy killers. Ah... worded that wrong, didn't I? Well, it's said, so why regret it now? Still, I consider him one of the most passionate boys in our group. He has such a high value of innocent lives, it's touching. Almost makes one envious.

He's babbling away on one topic or the other, I'm barely paying attention to his words, swaying a stem of dandelion1 from side to side, like a cat's tail. Huh, how does he keep himself talking without pausing for that much breath? Surprises never cease with Ken-kun. He's pausing in his ramblings now, noticing I'm watching him. I wonder what kind of reaction I'll get if I grin at him. I'm caught now, why deny the inevitable and look suspicious? I give a little wink, earning a bright blush over his cheeks. Ooh, nice glare.

I give a shrug and turn to the other room's occupant. Aya's stuck down here with us, since Omi's in class still for another hour or so. Okay, so I badgered him to stay down here with us. After all: "If Ken and I start an argument or something, who's going to glare us into a stalemate? Who's going to settle it down? What are you going to do all day in your room, glare at the wall just for practice?"

Me and Ken alone together... there's a thought. Not my type though. Too... what's the word I'm looking for? Optimistic? Yeah. Don't get me wrong, a good dosage once and a while's good for anyone. Just too much of it makes you crazy, know what I mean? Ah, Aya, though, now there's someone I can come on a level with. I hide behind a mask, a cloak of protection in a way, and so does he. Of course, while mine's more outgoing, his is more secluded.

I notice Ken giving me a weird look from the corner of my eye, so I perch my shades on to hide where my gaze might be locked. Aya's checking the flowers for the eighth time today. He knows how to keep himself busy, but I think he's also feeling the effects of being locked up in here. Ken continues on his one-sided conversation, Aya once and a while making some small noise to show he's listening, or to let Ken think he's listening. I'm not very sure which.

Aya's more impressionable if you observe him without him knowing it. He's just a little puzzle I can't quite work out. Once you think you know him, he twists your suspicions around and you lose it. So far, we know he's a real softy inside, no matter how tough and cold he appears on the outside. That's the one question that's been bugging me for a while. I can understand how there's no room for emotional involvement in our line of work, but does he have to be so efficient about it? I thought our job would at least teach that life is only so fleeting and you should enjoy it for as long as you can. So here's the ten thousand yen question: Why does Fujimiya Aya have to be Mr. Icy-Extraordinaire?

Eh? He's looking at me now. Nothing much has changed in his expression, what little there is right now, but I can almost feel that he's confussed. I turn, and wonder of all wonders, Ken is looking at me with his mouth hanging in mid word form, also looking at me with shock and astonishment.

"What do you mean, Youji?"

Oh, good Lord, did I just ask that out loud! I shrug to hide my mental bashing, finishing off my cigarette, which is now just a long strand of ash, "Never mind, I was just talking to the voices in my head."2

The door opens and Omi enters with a bright smile and a wave. The youngest pauses, looking at each of us, almost sensing that something was odd. Finally he chose who he thought would best answer him, "Ken-kun, what happened?"

Right, Ken-kun, answer the boy! You were talking something about ice-cream and switching to soccar again when I blurted out a question which rocked you off your train of thought that ran purely on boredom.

"Youji was asking why Aya's such a crab.3" Well, that's a nice way of putting it.

Omi seemed curious for a minute, then smiled, turning to Aya, "I could answer that if you want."

WHAAT! It must be showing on my face because I can hear Ken trying to stiffle his snickering. Omi put his hands behind his back, closing his eyes in thought, "Aya-kun is like that because... he's born into it. He's born to be an icy, imaginative do-er, just as much as Youji-kun is born to be a flirtatious, imaginative thinker."

Aya is raising an eyebrow, hands on his hips, making him look so much like a scowling mother4--God, help me if he ever knew what I thought of him as right now. "Really now."

"Yup!" Omi is nodding enthusiastically.

"Ah!" Ken hops up from his seat at the table, dandelion curling under his chin, making him look adorable in his energetic kind of way, "I was wondering why Youji's always so lazy and Aya's always such a busybody!"

I am _not_ lazy! I just have inactive priorities that make me _look_ lazy. Omi's giving Aya a wide grin, making him look more like he's fifteen instead of seventeen, and I can't help but wonder if those two are sharing something that neither Ken or I know about. Aya rolls his eyes, throwing his hands up in the air.5 He turns on his heel and heads into the kitchen to get a snack, Omi following behind him, shoulders shaking from repressed laughter.

I watch them go as I fish out my pack of cigarettes. Oh, yeah, those two are definately sharing something.6 Jealous, me? Of course not, I'm not so nosy as to question everything those two do together. Of course, if it compromises the missions, then I'll have to look into it. Yeah! I'll keep that reason open when I need it.

"Um... Youji? I think it's dead."

I blink at Ken, then look down at my hand, which now helplessly crushed my half-full pack of cigarettes. Well, damn, there's a waste. Oh, well. I'll wait until the rain eases up, then I'll get myself some more. Nothing really big can rattle my nerves by then, right?

"OH, KAWAII!" a loud choir of schoolgirls coo as they enter our store, immediately buzzing around us. I sigh in slight defeat, lowering my head. I had to ask.

Owari

**oOOo**

Author's Notes: **(Bangs head on computer desk)** Gomen... gomen gomen gomen... I couldn't get on the internet when I wrote this pitiful fanfic. Decided to do my study on Astrology, tested the boys, and decided to put in some aspects of their zodiac signs. Also watching Night of the Living Dead, black and white version, so I couldn't think of anything else to do but finish this up. I hope you enjoyed it! If you didn't... then don't read it again. Simple as that, ne?

_Footnotes:_

1 Sagittarius' zodiac flower.

2 Hey, that line always works for me when I say/do something stupid and get weird looks. Usually ends the discussion right there.

3 Sorry, couldn't help it. Cancer, crab, very lame.

4 I can see a pic of that, actually... Ohohoho, Aya'd hate that!

5 Me grandma does this when she's fed up with me. She reminds me a lot of Aya when she's in her angsty moods. Even though she isn't an assassin (well, I _hope_ she isn't) she can act like a regular ice baka if you tick her off.

6 I _might_ write something on this... not sure yet.


End file.
